Concealed did not have 78 years, the tiny population of Petrocosmea grandiflora was re-discovered in Wenshan, Yunnan by GCCC and Management Bureau of Wenshan Nature Reserve (Laojunshan)

Recently, headed by Dr. Wen Fang and Dr. Hong Xin,
members of GCCC, accompanied by an engineer of the management office of
Management Bureau of Wenshan Nature Reserve, Mr. He De-Ming, the Field
expeditions for Gesneriaceae made the field investigation in Wenshan
Prefecture, Southeastern Yunnan Province, China. GCCC will subsequently report
the highlights of this field investigation.

It is very exciting that we found a new
distribution of Petrocosmea grandiflora,
which disappeared almost one century. Petrocosmea
grandiflora was formally published by Hemsley in 1895. Because of the small
size of plant and relatively big flower, it was to be named “grandiflora”. The
type specimen (#115) was collected in 1893 by Hancock from Mengzi (Mongste),
Yunnan Province, China, is being stored in K (Figs. 1, cited from http://plantillustrations.org/species.php?id_species=772271&size=0&mobile=1).

Figs.
1 Hand drawing of Petrocosmea grandiflora

However,
no many collections for this species were recorded. Only two collections were
recorded by anonymous in September, 1919 (No Number) (Figs. 2) and Wang Qi-Wu
(84475) in October, 1939 (Figs. 3). We compared the type specimen, we found
there area lot of living collections and specimens have been incorrectly
identified in different botanical gardens and herbaria, including articles and
monographs. Obviously, if we can correctly identify the species in question, or
try to find populations of some species which are not discovered for many years
in the field, we can start todiscover the charm of taxonomy of Gesneriaceae!

Figs. 2 One
of specimens of Petrocosmea grandiflora,
storing in IBSC

Figs. 3 One of specimens of Petrocosmea grandiflora, storing in KUN

Another question. This wonderful species, Petrocosmea grandiflora, was showed in the annual convention of the
Gesneriad Society. Who knows how to spread from China to abroad?

The engineer, Mr. He De-Ming, firstly found this
tiny population of Petrocosmea
grandiflora in a limestone hill of Wenshan, Yunnan Province. He took many
plant and flower photographs, and sent those pictures to Dr. Hong Xin, GCCC. We
considered it looks very similar to Petrocosmea
grandiflora! After the observation in the field, IT IS THE SPECIES, P. grandiflora!

Only
one population, within only seven individuals, wasvalidated in Wenshan city.
The engineer, Mr. He De-Ming and members of GCCC carefully investigated three
limestone hills of the location, NO Others populations! Based on the IUCN
standard, it was assessed as Critically Endangered, CR! GCCC collected some
leaves from different individuals to make the leaf-cutting in the greenhouse of
GCCC, and try to keep the genetic diversity of this Petrocosmea grandiflora population.

From
1939 to 2017, concealed did not have 78 years, Petrocosmea grandiflora, appear in front of us!